QUOTE: “What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.” -- Agnes M. Pahro
Happy holidays to everyone. Enjoy the time with friends, family and loved ones.
This whole Brett Favre-Brad Childress saga is really nothing new in Minnesota. If you questioned former Viking quarterbacks Gus Frerotte or Brad Johnson, they would back up all of Favre’s comments. In fact, last summer I wondered how Childress would handle Favre changing the plays because everyone in the NFL knew these two would have issues on this subject.
Calling audibles in the Minnesota offense is a no-no — Childress wants to control the game and has never allowed his quarterback the freedom to change plays at the line of scrimmage — even if the play called in the huddle might not be the best one. Childress refers to changing plays at the line at “seeing ghosts,” but do you think Peyton Manning is ghost chasing? Childress does not call the plays, but he believes in the system, and a large part of the success of the system is to run the plays called.
When watching a game, you’ll often notice a quarterback making a signal with his hands that represents a kill signal, or you may even hear him yell, “Kill, kill, kill.” What this means is simply that two plays were called in the huddle, for example, 94 weak or 97 solid. When he comes to the line, the line expects to block for 94 weak -- but if he yells “kill,” then they run 97 solid. It saves time and eliminates any hearing problems in loud stadiums. But this is not an audible. This is called “packaging of the offense” based on the defensive looks, and it’s not where Childress and Favre have their issues.
Childress does not want Favre to stray from the offense — and Favre wants the freedom to take advantage of the system to make the right call at the right time. Both are strong in their opinions about how the offense should flow, and this issue will not go away with a meeting. It will only go away when one of them is willing to make a change.
This is not about Favre being a “diva.” Rather, it’s about Favre wanting to use his experience and knowledge to help the team win — very Peyton Manning-like. Favre wanted to come to Minnesota but he had a condition – he didn’t want to be involved in training camp.
With Favre at quarterback, the Vikings won games and built a huge lead in the NFC North, and Childress was rewarded with a huge contract extension. Isn’t it ironic that every time Favre’s performance results in everyone receiving a new contract, he gets drawn into a fire based on the security he provided to those around him?
I would think it would be prudent on Childress’ part to find a common ground in this area -- then focus on how he can get his team to play better. The Vikings’ effort and performance in Carolina had nothing to do with changing plays -- it had to do with their execution.
The real issue in Minnesota is the execution on both sides of the ball.
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This is a big part of why I love the NFL. As much as talent, skill and physical presence mean to the success of the team, there is a huge aspect of the game which is mental and emotional and relates to relationships and psyches.
It's why even the best prognosticators can only predict winners 75% of the time, and no one can make a killing on betting money against the spread. You never know what's in the minds of the players as they leave the locker room each week. What are they thinking? What struggles are they facing? What rifts exist with the coaching staff? How much do they believe what the coaches tell them? How much are the coaches also caught up in their own stubbornness or blind spots?
Stubbornness for a coaching staff can sometimes work. But Dick Vermeil taught us otherwise back in 1999, when he changed focus based on input (or near mutiny) from the players.
Emotions. Self-righteousness. Ego. Belief (in the system or in a player). All of these impact the games considerably. And we're only vaguely familiar with those issues each week. We'd love to know more about that "behind the scenes" aspect, but when one media member discovers a little disagreement between two players, it gets blown up by all others in the media as a "rift" or "schism" and becomes warped and harder to understand.
In that regard, Mike, I appreciate your focus. You have broken this down in a way that helps to understand the true nature of the issue... and that it is by no means a "crippling blow" to this team, but rather a working struggle between a boss and employee. What they do with it will go a long way towards determining their fate in the playoffs.
In full disclosure, I can't stand Brett Favre and always thought he was overrated. However, Childress is a buffoon and fooling himself if he thinks its his "system" that's responsible for this season's record. The bald-guy-in-charge as I like to call him is a typical second banana and is so insecure that he's willing to win the battle but lose the war.... Get ready for an early exit from the playoffs with this guy in charge...
Childress never chose to get involved in an "ugly public pissing mathc with his hand chosen qb". This could and should have been taken care of in house if Brett Favre didn't spout off to the media.
It should have been discussed behind closed doors.
MN needs to remember that last year they were division champs, 10-6 and in the play offs. This year (so far) they've won 1 more game (with 2 to play) and are in the play offs. You added Favre and Allen. What's really changed from last year?
Is Favre REALLY that big of a difference maker? Did he REALLY make Rice and Harvin what they've been? ( I would argue that they would be great receivers with any decent QB. Brett didn't really do anything that about 20 other QB couldn't have done with them)
First of all, Lombardi, Merry Christmas. With that said, I am not a Favre fan, but Childress had to know what he was getting into when he brought him in. Favre is not one known for complying to authority and while perhaps there is nothing theoretically wrong with what he's doing after you explained it to me, Childress does not relinquish authority easily. Controversy like this can destroy teams and the Vikings aren't necessarily rife with quality leadership. In any case, we'll see how this plays out. Peyton is a team-first player and I've never gotten that impression with #4.
Both Childress and Favre are at fault here. Childress b/c he is too rigid and controlling to allow the QB to change plays, and Favre b/c he won't obey the coach and has an obsession with running his mouth in public about things that should stay in-house. The diva part here is not that Favre wants to calls audibles - that is something he is very good at and Childress should embrace it, not reject it - but the fact that he blabbed about the conflict at the press conference and w/o Childress knowing about it. He might play well enough to get his coaches an extension, but he also ends up betraying them in the press b/c of his self-obsession. How high are the odds that Favre ends up spinning his self-serving version of the events btwn he and Childress in the off-season to his lackeys at ESPN or Greta Van Sustern? About as high as Christmas coming tomorrow.
"This is not about Favre being a “diva.” Rather, it’s about Favre wanting to use his experience and knowledge to help the team win — very Peyton Manning-like. Favre wanted to come to Minnesota but he had a condition – he didn’t want to be involved in training camp."
Do you even read what you write? it's all about favre being a diva -- it's his way or no way. seriously, mike, stop slurping the favre kool-aid. you are actually comparing favre to manning and using "team" in the same sentence? favre is a hired gun, plain and simple, and media honks like you feed the legend every time you waddle up to the key board and tap out the utter nonsense like that above.
In 2007 the Packers held Favres' feet to the fire, forcing him to study and work as never before. He still faded going down the stretch. He rebelled against the discipline and it was that discipline that led him to retire. Now here he is, mucking up yet another franchise. Here's an interesting statistic. Favre has not won a cold weather game in December since 2002. It is going to be cold in Chicago Monday night. He tried hard to rehabilitate his image but he is what he is, and it isn't what was presented for sixteen years.
If Favre is guilty of changing the call at the line too often, he did a piss poor job of it last weekend. Numerous times the Vikes threw against a 3-man rush instead of running. Numerous times in the last month, with 3rd and medium, Favre threw a low-percentage pass 20 yds downfield.
I don't think this is a case of Childress "deciding" to make public a difference of opinion during a game. How many other times in the half dozen games where Brett has been sat this year did they have a similar discussion, only it never made ESPN. Both guys are at fault here.
What's wrong with the Vikes' running game? Fixing that could solve some things.
As a Packer fan, I was extremely pleased that the Vikings chose to give Chilly a big, fat contract extension.
'Nuff said.
These two guys deserve each other.
Mike McCarthy demanded Brent play team ball and Brent weasled his way out of the Packers to where he knew he'd be the boss over the weakling Childress who can't lead his way out of a paper bag.
So we now have Brent checking out of Peterson runs to Brent picks and sacks. Go Brent go!
I loveit!
I recall reading in a Green Bay or Milwaukee sports section awhile back that Aaron Rodgers was doing much of the film study and presenting a condensed version to Favre for upcoming Packer opponents. This is likely where McCarthy and Thompson started gaining great confidence in Rodgers, knowing Aaron had the intelligence, the work ethic, and the arm to supplant Favre. (I couldn't spell "succede." Any help there?) When Favre pulled his annual nonsense, the Packers started the new decade-long Rodgers era.
The Vikings? One and done!
How awesome would it be if the Packers could be the ones to send the Vikings home for the season? The Vikings peaked eight weeks ago and started fading a month ago. What sweet revenge it would be to send Favre home for the year.
Loving every single minute of this. Love to say I told you so. Everyone knows the diva runs the show up in viqueen land, not chilly. How are the viqueen player going to respect the supposed head coach after this? LMFAO!
Scout two game plans:
The Chilly calls that you get with no audibles(see also the Travaris Vikings) and the Favre calls that include his favorite tweaks and audibles.
Which scores more?
Which has more turnovers?
Can they find a range of calls and audibles to change this?
Thanks to Mr.Lombardi for noting the difference between play checks and actual audibles. That could be a detailed story in and of itself.
really the packers made him keep his feet on the ground and do what he was told never check out of a play huh? do u notices those quick passes that rodgers do during the game... who do you think he got that from? do u think those are called pass plays? cause there not... favre is doing the same thing he did in greenbay and its working again... why wont packer fans just let it be he isnt with you nemore so stop being all mad about it hell the packers are in the play-offs so just get over it damn.
@ the man,
Reading your post was painful. Seriously, is punctuation really so difficult that you need to skip over it. A couple of misspellings I can deal with, but save the text messages for your fellow Viqueen metrosexuals.
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he diva part here is not that Favre wants to calls audibles - that is something he is very good at and Childress should embrace it, not reject it - but the fact that he blabbed about the conflict at the press conference and w/o Childress knowing about it.
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Dec 24, 2009
12:08 PM
Let's put the X's and O's aspect of this aside for a second. What does it say about Childress' judgment and leadership that he picks this point in the season to get into an ugly public pissing match with his hand-picked QB,who, as you note, basically got childress an extension he was not going to get on his own. It might be one thing if Favre was audibling into plays that failed, but apparently just the opposite was happening and it only made Childress madder.
This is where a wise owner can really contribute. Call Childress in and tell him to calm down and be more flexible.